Safety Belt Warning Flashers

Abstract

A device is provided for communicating one or more pieces of information about a vehicle to a police officer or other law enforcement employee, wherein said pieces of information are selected from the group consisting of: a. vehicle ID number, b. identity of vehicle owner, c. whether or not registration fees for the vehicle have been paid, and d. insurance information about the vehicle, and wherein such communication happens through the device transmitting said information via a wireless method to a computer device in the possession of said police officer or other law enforcement employee, and wherein said device includes a computer memory on which is stored said pieces of information. Systems and processes utilizing said device are also provided.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A device is provided for communicating one or more pieces of information about a vehicle to a police officer or other law enforcement employee, wherein said pieces of information are selected from the group consisting of: a. vehicle ID number, b. identity of vehicle owner, c. whether or not registration fees for the vehicle have been paid, and d. insurance information about the vehicle, and wherein such communication happens through the device transmitting said information via a wireless method to a computer device in the possession of said police officer or other law enforcement employee, and wherein said device includes a computer memory on which is stored said pieces of information. 
     
     
         2 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the device is encased in a reinforced case. 
     
     
         3 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the device is attached to the bumper of the vehicle. 
     
     
         4 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the device further comprises a component that flashes. 
     
     
         5 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the pieces of information stored in said computer memory are capable of being updated by a user with the appropriate authorization. 
     
     
         6 . A system for informing individuals outside a vehicle about whether the occupants of the vehicle are wearing their safety belts while the vehicle is moving, comprising:
 one or more monitoring sensors, each of which is capable of sensing whether a seatbelt has been buckled and whether the automobile is moving;   a transmitting mechanism attached to each of the monitoring sensors; and   a broadcast mechanism which has an impact-resistant outer surface;   
       wherein said transmitting mechanisms are each capable of transmitting information to the broadcast mechanism. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein the information is selected from the group consisting of:
 whether the safety belt monitored by the monitoring sensor is fastened, whether there is a vehicle occupant sitting in the seat associated with said safety belt, and when said vehicle is moving and one or more of said safety belts is not fastened when an occupant is sitting in the seat associated with said safety belt.   
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein the broadcast mechanism is located on the outside of the vehicle. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein the broadcast mechanism includes a flashing light that flashes when said vehicle is moving. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein the broadcast mechanism receives a signal from one or more of said transmitting mechanisms that one or more of said seatbelts is unfastened when an occupant is occupying the seat associated with said seatbelt. 
     
     
         11 . The system  6 , wherein the flashing light has the logo of an automobile maker in its center. 
     
     
         12 . A process for communicating one or more pieces of information about a vehicle to police officers by making said information available in a device with a computer memory and a wireless transmitting capability, wherein said device is capable of transmitting said pieces of information to a computer or equivalent machine possessed by said police officer; and wherein said information is one or more pieces of information selected from the group consisting of: a. vehicle ID number; b. identity of vehicle owner; c. whether or not registration fees for the vehicle have been paid; and d. insurance information about the vehicle. 
     
     
         13 . The process of  claim 12 , wherein said device is encased in a reinforced case. 
     
     
         14 . The process of  claim 12 , wherein the device is attached to the bumper of the vehicle. 
     
     
         15 . The process of  claim 12 , wherein the device comprises a flashing light. 
     
     
         16 . The process of  claim 15 , wherein said flashing light flashes when a person has sat in one of the seats inside the vehicle and has not fastened the seatbelt 
     
     
         17 . The process of  claim 15 , wherein the flashing light is red. 
     
     
         18 . The process of  claim 12 , wherein said computer memory is capable of being reprogrammed to reflect changes in said pieces of information. 
     
     
         19 . The process of  claim 12 , wherein magnetic sensors are electronically coupled to said device. 
     
     
         20 . The process of  claim 19 , wherein said magnetic sensors inform said device of whether a person has sat in one of the seats inside the vehicle and has not fastened the seatbelt.